Supermassive Games has completed a redundancy process, shedding more than 70 roles across development, production, and operations following a redundancy consultation announced in August. The job cuts arrive shortly after the release of the sci-fi horror title Directive 8020, marking the independent studio’s latest reduction in staff.
Operating in the United Kingdom, the Guildford-based developer is subject to local employment rules preventing arbitrary terminations, which require formal consultations lasting at least 45 days for companies operating at this scale. The workforce reductions at Supermassive Games follow a redundancy consultation process first initiated in August. At the time, the studio indicated that up to 75 positions were at risk to help maintain company sustainability. Former staff members took to social media to confirm that the consultation period has reached its conclusion, with over 70 individuals departing from various departments including art, design, QA, and operations. According to Insider Gaming, Supermassive Games employed over 400 people prior to these reductions, a figure that has now decreased to approximately 300 staff members.
Frank Tindle and Departing Staff Confirm the Cuts on LinkedIn
Having joined the developer in 2010 when the department consisted solely of himself, Tindle watched the organization expand to over 400 team members before the downsizing. Among those affected is Frank Tindle, who served as IT and facilities director and was a member of the senior leadership team. Tindle shared his personal experience on LinkedIn, noting that he had learned his position was at risk weeks prior before the termination became official on his final day.
“More than 70 brilliant people are leaving Supermassive: developers, artists, producers, QA, operations and more. Any studio would be lucky to have them. If you’re hiring, DM me and I’ll make the introduction,”
Frank Tindle, IT and facilities director at Supermassive Games
Tindle added that any studio would be lucky to have them
as former employees shared news of their departures online. Talent acquisition leader Tim Browning also announced his exit, writing on social media about his tenure beginning in September 2022, which involved hiring numerous personnel, standing on stages, winning awards, launching games, and attending industry events.
Directive 8020 Launch and Prior Restructuring at the Studio
Released in May for the PS5, the sci-fi title drew a mixed reception from players and critics alike, balancing a stellar cast of characters against grating stealth mechanics and missing online co-op features. The downsizing arrives on the heels of Directive 8020, the latest installment in the studio’s interactive horror catalog. Supermassive announced plans to patch in online multiplayer for the game in October, nearly five months after its initial debut. During Directive 8020, the studio also teased the next chapter in The Dark Pictures series, which is believed to bear the title The Craven Man, though no official announcement has been made.
This marks the studio’s third round of workforce reductions in three years. Unlike many studios tied to larger corporate parent companies, Supermassive operates independently without a corporate hierarchy reshuffling assets above it, making these cuts a direct measure of internal belt-tightening. The studio’s best-known horror release, Until Dawn, is receiving a sequel in 2027, though the franchise has been farmed out to the PlayStation studio Firesprite instead.
UK and North American Developers Face Industry Pressures
These legal requirements governed the multi-week timeline between the August announcement and the October departures. Operating out of the UK, Supermassive is subject to statutory redundancy frameworks that mandate formal consultation periods before any staff reductions can take place.